I am writing a paper with Marina Basu about how John Dewey’s and Jiddu Krishnamurti’s philosophies of education and their implications for learning in increasingly mediated environments. While working on the paper, it struck me that it may be fun to see what Bing Chat would come up with. So I gave Bing Chat a prompt, essentially asking it to…

… write an article in the form of an interview of John Dewey and Jiddu Krishnamurti about their life, their philosophy of education, what is similar and different between their ideas, and how their ideas can play out in a world that is increasingly technologically mediated.

I am including below what it came up with. But before that a couple of thoughts.

1. It does a pretty decent job of describing their philosophies of education and the differences between them. Not extremely insightful but not too bad for first pass.
2. It, however, doesn’t offer much insight when it comes to extrapolating Dewey’s and Krishnamurti’s ideas into the future (particularly when it comes to the metaverse, where it essentially spouts the same ideas for both, missing, I think some key differences).
3. The human wrote paper is better, if I say so myself. (I will share it here once it is published so that you can judge for yourself.) Incidentally, this is similar to what I felt when I asked ChatGPT3 to write mathematical poetry

All that said, here is the article (and title) it came up with:

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Education in the 21st Century:
A Conversation with John Dewey and Jiddu Krishnamurti

John Dewey and Jiddu Krishnamurti are two of the most influential educational philosophers of the 20th century. Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have had a profound impact on education in the United States and around the world. Krishnamurti was an Indian philosopher, speaker, and writer whose ideas have influenced education in India and beyond. In this interview, we’ll explore the lives and philosophies of these two great thinkers, as well as their views on education in a world that is increasingly technologically mediated.

Interviewer: What inspired you to become an educational philosopher?

John Dewey: I became interested in education while I was studying philosophy at Johns Hopkins University. I was struck by the fact that education was not being taken seriously as a subject of study, and I wanted to change that. I believed that education was the key to social progress, and that it was essential to develop a new philosophy of education that would be more relevant to the needs of modern society.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I was inspired by my own experiences as a student. I felt that the traditional methods of education were not effective, and that they were not preparing students for the challenges of the modern world. I wanted to develop a new approach to education that would be more holistic and would focus on the development of the whole person.

Interviewer: What is your philosophy of education?

John Dewey: My philosophy of education is based on the idea that education should be student-centered and should focus on the needs and interests of the individual student. I believe that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process, and when they are encouraged to think critically and creatively.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: My philosophy of education is based on the idea that education should be holistic and should focus on the development of the whole person. I believe that students learn best when they are encouraged to explore their own interests and passions, and when they are given the freedom to learn at their own pace.

Interviewer: How do you think your philosophy of education differs from the other philosopher’s philosophy?

John Dewey: I think that my philosophy of education is more focused on the needs and interests of the individual student, while Krishnamurti’s philosophy is more focused on the development of the whole person. I also believe that my philosophy is more practical and more closely aligned with the needs of modern society.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that my philosophy of education is more holistic and more focused on the development of the whole person, while Dewey’s philosophy is more focused on the needs and interests of the individual student. I also believe that my philosophy is more spiritual and more concerned with the deeper questions of life.

Interviewer: What do you think are the most important aspects of education?

John Dewey: I think that the most important aspects of education are critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. I believe that students need to be able to think for themselves and to be able to solve problems in a creative and innovative way.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that the most important aspects of education are self-awareness, compassion, and love. I believe that students need to be able to understand themselves and others, and to develop a deep sense of empathy and compassion for all living beings.

Interviewer: How do you see the each other’s work and perspective and what do you think their perspective is missing?

John Dewey: I think that Jiddu Krishnamurti’s work is valuable in that it emphasizes the importance of developing the whole person, rather than just focusing on academic achievement. However, I think that his work could benefit from a greater emphasis on the role of social and cultural factors in shaping our understanding of the world.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that John Dewey’s work is valuable in that it emphasizes the importance of experiential learning and the role of education in promoting social change. However, I think that his work could benefit from a greater emphasis on the spiritual dimension of human experience.

Interviewer: What are some challenges facing education today?

John Dewey: I think that one of the biggest challenges facing education today is the need to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Students need to be able to adapt to new technologies and new ways of working, and they need to be able to think critically and creatively in order to solve complex problems.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that one of the biggest challenges facing education today is the need to develop a new approach to education that is more holistic and more focused on the development of the whole person. We need to move away from the traditional model of education that is focused on memorization and rote learning, and we need to develop new methods that are more effective at helping students develop their own unique talents and abilities.

Interviewer: What advice would you give to educators who want to improve their teaching?

John Dewey: My advice would be to focus on the needs and interests of the individual student, and to create a learning environment that is supportive and engaging. Teachers should encourage students to think critically and creatively, and they should provide opportunities for students to explore their own interests and passions.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: My advice would be to focus on the development of the whole person, and to create a learning environment that is holistic and supportive. Teachers should encourage students to develop their own unique talents and abilities, and they should provide opportunities for students to explore the deeper questions of life.

Interviewer: How do you think technology can be used to enhance education?

John Dewey: I think that technology can be a powerful tool for enhancing education, but only if it is used in the right way. I believe that technology should be used to support and enhance the learning process, rather than to replace it. For example, technology can be used to provide students with access to a wider range of resources and to facilitate collaboration and communication.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that technology can be a useful tool for enhancing education, but only if it is used in a way that is consistent with our values and our goals. I believe that technology should be used to support and enhance the development of the whole person, rather than to distract or entertain students.

Interviewer: What is your opinion on the use of virtual and augmented reality in education?

John Dewey: I think that virtual and augmented reality can be powerful tools for enhancing education, but only if they are used in a way that is consistent with our values and our goals. I believe that these technologies should be used to support and enhance the learning process, rather than to replace it. For example, virtual and augmented reality can be used to provide students with access to a wider range of resources and to facilitate collaboration and communication.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that virtual and augmented reality can be useful tools for enhancing education, but only if they are used in a way that is consistent with our values and our goals. I believe that these technologies should be used to support and enhance the development of the whole person, rather than to distract or entertain students.

Interviewer: What is your opinion on the metaverse?

John Dewey: I think that the metaverse has the potential to revolutionize education by providing students with access to a wider range of resources and by facilitating collaboration and communication. However, we need to be careful not to let these technologies distract us from our core mission of educating students.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: I think that the metaverse has the potential to revolutionize education by providing students with access to a wider range of resources and by facilitating collaboration and communication. However, we need to be careful not to let these technologies distract us from our core mission of educating students.